Ian Wade

Newmarket July Festival 2012

Full marks to Newmarket racecourses for continuing to give concessions on all admission prices to all enclosures for all their meetings including the July 3 Day Festival which starts on Thursday 12th with the Princess of Wales’s Goldsmith Stakes run over 1 mile 4 furlongs as the main race. Red Cadeaux is favourite for this and…

Royal Ascot 2012

Royal Ascot, which kicks off tomorrow (Tuesday 19th) is the Flat racing equivalent to the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival. Royal Ascot is over five days as opposed to Cheltenham’s four. The main race each day goes off at 15.45 pm. Super star Frankel runs in the first race on Tuesday which is the Queen Anne…

Investec Oaks and Derby at Epsom 2012

The third and fourth classics for the three year olds take place at Epsom on Friday June 1st and Saturday June 2nd. Both races look as though they could go to the all conquering stable of Aidan O’Brien from Ballydoyle in Ireland. Maybe is favourite for the fillies Investec Oaks worth £350,000.00 and run over 1 mile…

Qipco 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket 2012

With the “Jump” season finishing last Saturday it is time to concentrate on the first two of the five classics for the three year olds at Newmarket this weekend. Both races are run over the straight Rowley mile. The 2000 Guineas for the colts will be on the Saturday and in this Aidan O’Brien has the…

John Smith’s Grand National Day at Aintree 2012

The greatest horse race in the world, the John Smith’s Grand National worth £975,000.00, will go off at 4.15 pm this Saturday the 14th of April. There will be a maximum field of 40 runners. The fences are not as daunting as they were back in 1960 when Merryman II (pictured) won the first televised…

John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree 2012

The centre piece for Day 2 of the Aintree Grand National Meeting is the John Smith’s Melling Chase worth £175,000.00 and run over 2 miles 4 furlongs. A very select field of 8 runners go to post including Finians Rainbow who was a fortunate winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.…

Betfred Bowl Chase Day at Aintree 2012

The Aintree Grand National Meeting gets underway on Thursday the 12th April with the Betfred Bowl Chase worth £150,000.00 being the centre piece. The race is run over 3 miles 1 furlong . Riverside Theatre is favourite for this but he has had only four weeks to get over his exertions from the Cheltenham Festival.  Nacarat (pictured) comes here…

Latest Declarations for Aintree Grand National 2012

Form                Horse                              Age/Wgt        Owner          Trainer 13-P0311 SYNCHRONISED (IRE)  9-11-10  J P McManus    Jonjo O’Neill 211/1121-4 BALLABRIGGS (IRE)  11-11-09  Trevor Hemmings   Donald McCain 115-F310 MIDNIGHT CHASE  10-11-08 Lady Clarke    Neil Mulholland 1/10P-13P WEIRD AL (IRE)  9-11-08   Brannon, Dennis, Dick, Holden  Donald McCain 11121/2-24 BURTON PORT (IRE)  8-11-07  Trevor Hemmings   Nicky Henderson FF-B111 QUEL ESPRIT (FR)  8-11-07 …

Cheltenham Gold Cup Day 2012

Day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival brings us to the main event, the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase run over 3 miles 2 furlongs. Last years race (pictured) was truly exciting with Long Run outstaying Denman and Kauto Star. There is no Denman this year and Kauto Star is getting no younger. He is now…

Cheltenham World Hurdle Day 2012

The centre piece of the 3rd day of the Cheltenham Festival will be the Ladbrokes World Hurdle run over 3 miles. Big Bucks and Ruby Walsh (pictured) will be attempting to win the race for the fourth time. On Tuesday Quevega joined the short list of horses who have have been successful at four Cheltenham Festivals.…